Bag assembly



c. w. VOGT BAG ASSEMBLY Aug. 4, 1953 Filed July 13, 1948 hffizyi MW M MATTORNEYS INVENTOR 'kwence Patented Aug. 4, 1953 UNITED'K 2,647,680BeGi'A ssMB -Yi GlareneeaWi Vogt; mimlklooi l Application 194s, s riasolssniw 90mins (o1. '229 =-53 This inventiOn relates to bags forthestorage; protection, shipment; and/or; sale of various ma, terials, andhas for itsmain ob'jeietfa bag; construction and assemblywhichfacilitate" the'supporting, opening, filling, closing and seal'ing-ofthe bags as theylare advanced in successioni'to and past successivestations.

Asan important feature of the inventionj'th'ebags are connected togetherinseriesr'by'one or more flexible; strips ofxpapjer 'or;other*suitablematerial, and which stripsmay be'employed;- to effect the advancementand/or opening, of'the bags and/or to assist-in holding--the'baigs'f0pEn" forvfilling. They also aid'in the closingand'seal ingof the bags. 7 a

The invention is particularly "applicab'la'to bags formed of orlined-with non-porous,-heat-' scalable material, whereby the ibags'gwhenfilled and closed may be hermetically -seale'd""by-the; application ofheat and-pressure. In-"ce'rtain embodiments of the inventionthere areincluded pairs of bags which are connected together-ator adjacent totheir open ends; as disclosed and claimed in my application Seria1"No.i'30;647, filedj June*2, 1948, now Pa'tentyNo. 2,628,013; of which thisapplication is a continuation-impart: Such pairs of bags may besupportedby-the connect ing part during filling, closing and sealing;ass-sis:

.closed in my application Serial No,- 35,;4d5'yfiledf- June 26; 1948, ofwhich thisapplication is also a continuationfln-part: The inventionisal'so applicable to bags which are"connectedftogether" in series orvas a chain; but not-in transverse In its preferred form; and esen-important feature of my invention,'- the,stripf-jwhich cong nects thebags in pairs-atior adjacent totheir open ends, also serves to connectthapairs of bags together in-series or as a chain; This strip; may befoldedas aninvertedV"along a* center=- line, so' that the strip mayrestun,- be -guided-by;- and moved along a horizontal support w t the:bags of each pair on opposite sides thereof; 7

As a further feature of-my invention, and'to facilitate the opening ofthe-bags, two-separate 1 connecting strips are employed, each being attached to the outer walloffone"baggpfeach-pair at or adjacent to theopenendlg' Thesee ni-ie'cting strips 'may be employed not-only topt-I-HfifDrfiid in pulling or feedingthe bags alongto successivestations for filling, closinggsealing, etc but 'their main purpose is topull the bagfl mouths' open before said pagsrea'ch the'fillingstatiomj-y when su h. p i s; f e ing psre:

used, the bag mouths oiea'ch pair I need' not be formsrv connected by;an inverted V'-shapedstrip as above described; but the two bags-ofeachpair may be connected'in any other suitable manner at -or' neartheir *open ends; so that they may be suspended on a-supportingbar, orheld upright; or otherwise supported during filling, closmg; andsealin'g -F*or' instance-; the connecting means between-the two bagsof-each pairmay-be a 'SDOfiSGfiiT'bBWEGII the bag walls, andofacharacte'r-whioh 'will permit-thelater separation of the two bags'ofthe" pa-i t l The connecting strip or strips'betweenone bagand-'the-'nex-tsuccessive one maybe permanently glued or otherwisesecured to the bag walls;

- and may be cuter-torn in two between successive-bags=after-filling,closing and sealing; but

preferably the strips are secured to-the bag walls by heat activated=adhesive material, whereby after the strips have served their purposethe temperature at the sealing-area maylbe raised to the-requiredd'egree -to soften the adhesive and thereby free-the individual filledand sealed bags from thestripsfor permit-the strips to be pulled' off;If desired; such removed strips may be reused -for-connecting togetheranother series ofbags-,=-0r used for sealing bag mouths after fill jngyi In -the:- accompanying drawings I have illus trated somewhatdiagrammatically various diifer ent embodiments of my invention. Inthese drawings?- a ,t i r. l

Fig.' "1 is a perspective'viewshowing aplurality of'pairsof connectedbags, one pair of bags beingi ini-fill-ing ipo'sitioria-nd'another pairshown-as cIOSed aft'eR-beingfilled;-' i 1 Eigfizzis a: section "ofa=form somewhat similan to thatlshown insEigli 1 but in which onlyone-row oatbags islconnected in =series.- Figsi'. e-zland-firareperspective views 'of other- Fig-:6 is ,a-j'se'ction' through a furtherform,Vin-' which the-;bags lie endwise ofithe chain insteadof-Ferossyvise:and:v a r I is; a 5 somewhat diagrammatic top; planndizcating; how, bag opening is automaticallyreifected'.

In Fthamonstructmn; shownin Eig: 1 there are pmvidedgqa;plurality; ofpairs of bags A: and B; whi hirmay; bel-seotionsofv tubingof th'ermoplastic materialg and withztheupper ends of the twa-sbags iniand EB-01?! each' ipa'ir [secured to oppos l site-sides ofwa strip 0 wh'ichisbent *along a reenterline extendinglengthwise thereof; and to -inverte'div shape or u shape. Thus the bag pairs may -be-suspendedunsupportedbyplacing this strip on a horizontal bar or other support In along whichthe bags may slide. This support It may be a traveling metal band whichmoves endwise to advance the pairs of bags from one position to another.

In carrying out the shaped strip C which present invention the V-connects together the two bags of each pair is a long strip and connectsthe bag pairs in series to form a chain of bag pairs. Only three pairsof bags of such a chain are shown as connected to the strip C, but incommercial practice there might be a very large number of such bag pairsconnected in series.

As a further important feature of my present invention the bags are inseries by strips D substantially parallel to the strip C. The strips Dare attached to the outer walls of the bags, and opposite to the wallswhich are attached to the strip C, and are disposed at or adjacent tothe upper open ends of the bags. The bottoms of the bags may be freefrom each other, but are preferably connected in series. In the formshown in Fig. 1 the bag bodies have been formed of tubing, and a bottomstrip folded to U-shape and adhesively secured to the bag bottoms toclose and seal the latter and to connect them in series. As pointed outin my prior application Serial No. 301647, filed June 2, 1948, nowPatent No. 2,628,013, the bag bodies may be made of polyvinylidenechloride (Saran), and the strips may be made of paper coated with anadhesive which becomes tacky below the temperature at which the Saranwill autogenously weld or seal. v

In using the bag assembly shown in Fig. l, the series of bag pairs aresupported on the bar or other stationary or movable member 10, and arefed along in any suitable manner, preferably step by step in respect tothe filling means. As shown, such filling means includes a pair ofspouts or nozzles H which may lead from any suitable source of supply,with the usual control valves, measuring. devices, etc. Such nozzles mayhave conical shaped ends or flanges or fins to facilitate the spreadingopen of the bag mouths. If desired, the nozzles may move downwardly intothe bags before filling, and then up out of them to permit the nextsuccessive pair of bags to be brought to filling position.

In starting the operation, the pair of bags bee low the nozzles may bepulled open by hand, or in any other suitable manner. As the charge ofliquid, powder, or material in other form is delivered into the pair ofbags which are in filling position, such charge will further open up thebags. As the filling is taking place, the contents of the bags acts tofurther open up the bags, and as the outer walls of these bags areconnected to the outer walls of the next successive pair of bags, thisspreading apart of the outer walls of the pair being filled will actthrough the strips D to open up the lower ends of the next pair of bags.Thus, when a filled pair of bags is moved from beneath the nozzles, thenext pair of bags will be brought beneath them and will have beenautomatically opened by the spreading apart of the strips D. Thus, thestrips D serve as bag openers as well as bag advancing means, and theystrengthen and reinforce the bag bottoms during and after filling, andinsure against tearing of these seals and make the bags leak-proof andsift-proof. From Fig. '7 it will be seen how the filling of one pair ofbags acts to open up the next successive pair.

Beyond the filling nozzles there may beprovided a pair of rollers alsoconnected together' I 2 which engage the outer surfaces of the strips Dand press them toward each other and thus close the bags. The rollersmay be heated, so that in closing the bags the heat is transmittedthrough the strips D and hermetically seals the bags, if the walls ofthe latter be of thermoplastic material. The rollers I2 may be merelybag closers and sealers, and freely rotatable, in which case the stripsmay be pulled along solely by other rollers or by other pulling meansbeyond the rollers l2. If the rollers I2 be merely for closing andsealing, they may be replaced by non-rotatable heaters such as heatedplates or shoes resiliently pressed toward each other and against theupper ends of the bags, to close and seal them.

- The strips D may be connected to the bag walls by heat activatedadhesive, so that when heat is applied'to'seal the bag mouths this heatwill soften the adhesive on the strips D and permit the strips to bepulled off from the bags, or permit the filled bags to slip down andaway from said strips. When heat activated adhesive is used on thestrips D, the strips E need not connect the bottoms of the bags, or ifthey do, cutting means may be provided for serving such strips betweensuccessive bags.

Although it is preferable that the bags be connected in pairs, it is notessential to my invention in its broader aspect. In Fig. 2 I have shownhow a single row of bags B may be connected to strips D and C, providedthe last mentioned strips be of sufficiently stiff material so that thefold will not open up by the weight of the bag and its contents; or ifthe bag be supported primarily by a horizontal wall or shelf 13 alongwhich the bags may slide, or supported by a conveyor for supporting andcarrying along the filled bags. In this figure I have shown the bottomof a bag closed by folding over the bottom end, as is common in bagconstructions. Thus the connecting strip E shown in Fig. 1 need not beemployed.

In the bag constructions above referred to, a strip C is employed whichacts to support the bags. This is not essential in the broader aspectsof my invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the two bags A and B of each pairare connected together adjacent to their upper ends by a spot or smallarea F, preferably of self-sticking or latex type of adhesive. The twobags of each pair will rest upon opposite sides of a horizontal supportsuch as the bar [0, and the pairs of bags are connected together inseries by strips D. These strips may be attached to the outer walls ofthe bags adjacent to the open end by heat activated or selfstickingadhesive, and preferably in small areas G. In this form the bags areshown as made of thermoplastic material and the lower ends or bottomsclosed by heat sealing along a narrow area H. It is not necessary thatone pair of bags be connected to the other, other than by the strips D,but if desired, they may be connected adjacent to their lower ends byshort strips K secured in place by adhesive, and readily removable.

The bags as shown in Fig. 3 may be closed and heat sealed after filling,in the same way as described in connection with Fig. l, and the fillingof one pair of bags will act to open up the next succeeding pair byreason of the connecting strips D.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a construction quite similar to that in Fig. 1,except that the bags are of the gusset type, in which opposite Walls areinfolded. In this form I have shown the bags Bf assecured to the strip Cat a substantial distame. below th'el foldrlingrinsteadiof *atfther foldline, as in Fig. 1. Bags of'thiszcliaractermaybe fed along tosuccessive-v stations by pulling on the strip C instead of onside stripssuch as D, shown in riser, and the "closing andsealing ofi the' bagsafter filling may be effected by applying heat and pressure. directly tothe outer walls of the bags to press'them against the strip C. Bagpairs; may be filled and sealed beforepriafter severance from the chain.

In Figs. 1, 2'and'3; "the stripssD are employed for pulling the bagmouths openti In some. constructions other means may the employed: foropening the bags. In Fig: 5'1. have shown? bags similar in all respects"to those shown in. Fig. 4, except that comparatively "'stiiff label's?'L are secured to the outerwalls oftheb'ag andex'terld to some distanceabove the open ends of the bags. In feeding the bags along, the upperedges of these labels may engage guides which will push the bag mouthsopen before they reach the filling nozzles. The bags when filled may beremoved from the supporting strip C by applying heat to loosen theheat-activated adhesive, and the labels L may, if desired, be foldedover the closed upper ends of the bags, although when the bags areformed of thermoplastic material they may be readily closed and sealedby applying heat and pressure to the outer surfaces of these labels.

In the various constructions hereinbefore described, the bag pairs areconnected together in series, with the upper ends of each row of bagssubstantially in alignment. The bag pairs or single bags may beconnected in endwise rather than edgewise alignment. In Fig. 6 I haveshown pairs of bags A and B connected together in pairs, and thesuccessive pairs spaced apart endwise rather than edgewise. The two bagsof each pair are preferably connected together by a spot seal near theiropen ends, and the bags can later be separated by peeling, the same asin Fig. 3, but the connecting strips D extend lengthwise of the bagsrather than transversely thereof.

The connecting strips D may each be supported by pairs of rollers I 4,the lower one of which may be heated. The rollers may be intermittentlyor continuously rotated to lift successive pairs of bags to the desiredelevation where the pairs of bags may be automatically pulled loose fromthe strips, deposited on a support such as the bar It, filled andsealed.

The bags A and B need not be connected in pairs, as the bags may be in asingle row on one strip D and they may have closure flaps. Thus, as eachbag is raised to the proper point it may be filled, the flap closed, andthe bag liberated from the strip by the pulling of the latter betweenthe rollers, so that the filled and closed bags may fall into areceptacle or onto a conveyor.

Where two longitudinal tapes are used, they are preferably laterallyoffset, so that in rolling the chain of bags the strips are notsuperposed, and a firmer roll may be formed. The strip or strips mayserve its or their main purpose during the making of the bags tofacilitate taking them from the bag machine, or to facilitate packing orrolling of a chain of the bags for shipment. The strip may be removedbefore the bags are filled.

Various other forms may be employed, in which bags or bag pairs are fedalong by means of one or more strips or tapes adhesively securedthereto, and to filling, closing and sealing stations.

In Figs. 1 and 3 I have shown the strips D provided withperforati'onsi-lii- These may serve; to receive prongs or teethaofia.feed means lfor pulle ing the tapes-and ch'ains of bagssalong: during-orbetween; filling, closing, and?sealing-operations; and iftheltapesections are torbe leftEontheibagsi said-iholes provider weakpoints at which: the-tapes or" strips may be broken;- out; or easilytornin 5W0;

Having" thusdescribed? my invention-g =whati- I claim as new anddesire-to secure by 'Iletter's Patentisz- 1. As anarticle ofmanufacture; a-stripofsheet materialadapted to be bent along a lineextend ing lengthwise there'of to form an? inverted" V; and -a pluralityof pairs of bags" having portions at their open ends connected tosaidstrip-"along: the length thereof, the two bagsof each pair being onopposite sides of said line.

2. As an article of manufacture, a strip of sheet material adapted to bebent along a line extending lengthwise thereof to form an inverted V,and a plurality of bags having portions at their open ends connected tosaid strip along the length thereof and arranged in pairs, the two bagsof each pair being in juxtaposed positions on opposite sides of saidline, whereby upon supporting said strip substantially horizontally,said bags will be suspended from said strip with their open endsuppermost for filling.

3. As an article of manufacture, a strip of sheet material adapted to bebent along a line extending lengthwise thereof to form an inverted V, aplurality of bags having their open ends connected to said strip alongthe length thereof, and means independent of said strip for connectingeach bag to an adjacent one.

4. As an article of manufacture, a strip of sheet material adapted to bebent along a, line extending lengthwise thereof to form an inverted V, aplurality of bags having their open ends connected to said strip alongthe length thereof and arranged in pairs, the two bags of each pairbeing on opposite sides of said line, and means independent of saidstrip for connecting one bag of each pair to the adjacent bag of anotherpair.

5. As an article of manufacture, a strip of sheet material adapted to bebent along a line extending lengthwise thereof to form an inverted V, aplurality of bags of thermoplastic material each having one side wall atits open end connected to said strip, and a separate strip connected toeach bag adjacent to the open end on the side wall oipposite to thatconnected to the first mentioned s up.

6. As an article of manufacture, a strip of sheet material adapted to bebent along a line extending lengthwise thereof to form an inverted V, aplurality of bags of thermoplastic material each having one side wall atits open end connected to said strip, the bags being ar-- ranged inpairs along the length of said strip, and the two bags of each pairbeing on opposite sides of said line, and a pair of separate strips eachconnecting together in series one bag of each pair.

7. An article, according to claim 1, wherein the bags are connected tothe strip with their top edges below the top of the strip to provideflap material for the bags.

8. An article, according to claim 1, wherein the outer sides of the bagsof each pair are provided with relatively stiff material secured there-]go and extending above the top edges of the ags.

9. As an article of manufacture, a plurality I of pairs of bags, eachpair of bags having inner opposed side walls, outer side walls and openends, means detachably connecting the inner opposed side walls of eachpair of bags together and holding the inner side walls thereof in faceto face relation with the open ends of the bags facing in the samedirection, the connecting means being located adjacent to said open endsof the pair of bags, and strips of flexible material detachablyconnecting the outer side walls of the bags of different pairs togetherin a series and joining the pairs into a chain of pairs of bags in whichthe open ends of all of the bags face in the same direction, said stripsbeing connected to said outer side walls of said pairs of bags adjacentto the open ends of said bags, said strips serving to advance said chainof bags to present the pairs of bags successively to a filling positionand to open said bags by movement of said strips away from each other.

CLARENCE W. VOGT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,217,818 Peterson Feb. 27, 1917 2,015,972 Sodergren Oct. 1,1935 2,244,282 Bergstein June 3, 1941 2,280,601 Otter Apr. 21, 19422,297,375 Vogt Sept. 28, 1942 2,299,751 Huffman Oct. 27, 1942 2,307,902Vogt et a1 Jan. 12, 1943 2,332,638 Heywood Oct. 26, 1943 2,338,922Fleming Jan. 11, 1944

